2009 Green Home Resolutions

2008 was the year that saw elements of green building become mainstream and increased interest in green technologies.  But for those of us who are not building a new house or who don’t keep up with all the new technologies, there are many simple, inexpensive (or free) ways to green your life that you can do right now.  The result will be a more energy efficient, healthier, and more sustainable environment for you and your children.  Do yourself and you family a favor, take one or more of the following resolutions to go green:

• » See also: Greening Your Home
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1. Seek ways to lower your energy bills

Here’s the challenge:  Take your December energy bills and spend January tweaking your habits to lower your energy bills.  Compare the January bills to the December bills.  There are several ways to buy your way into lower electric bills, like replacing old refrigerators or getting a tankless water heater, but if the point is to save money now, here are some instant energy and money saving ideas:

• Close doors and vents in rooms you don’t use
• Turn off electronics when not in use and unplug appliances with phantom loads
• Replace incandescent lights with CFLs - and keep them off when you don’t need them
• Make sure furnace filters are clean - and keep dryer filters clean
• Program the thermostat to run cooler at night when you are snug in your bed
• When possible, wash clothes in cold water
• Shorten showers
• Check for drafts around doors and windows
• Wash only full loads of laundry and dishes
• Replace old shower head with an inexpensive low-flow fixture
• Install aerator (less than $15) in bathroom faucets to lower water usage

Find out if your energy company will perform a free energy audit in your house.  It will help isolate which areas of the house are losing the most energy and help you with strategies to conserve energy.

For more articles on home energy, see:

Programmable Thermostats Save Money and Energy - EPA Shows you How

Residential Energy Management System Available

2. Find out what chemicals are in the home products you buy

Chemicals are everywhere.  Many of them are necessary to the production of common home products and furniture.  As most of us do not have degrees in chemistry, it’s difficult for us to differentiate between those chemicals that are innocuous and those that are toxic.  Arm yourself with knowledge of some of the more dangerous chemicals out there, and specifically ask about them when purchasing goods for your home.

• Urea-Formaldehyde.  A known carcinogen that is used in many composite wood products, urea-formaldehyde is a common chemical that should be avoided.  When purchasing wood furniture, ask about formaldehyde free options.  The US Green Building Council awards LEED credits to wood building products that include no added urea-formaldehyde.
• Radon.  While the vast majority of granite countertops are safe, be sure to get assurances from your granite supplier that the slab you are putting in your home has been tested for both radon and direct radiation.
• Others:  Synthetic chemicals in carpets, paints, household cleansers, caulks, and adhesives.  Seek natural, no Volatile Organic Chemical (VOC) products.

For more articles on harmful chemicals, see:

Never Mind the Earth, Green Your Home for Your Health

A Rational Discussion on Radon in Granite Countertops

3. Learn the life cycle and embodied energy of the products you buy

It’s great that you are starting to keep the earth in mind when you buy (or choose not to buy) products.  Starting this year, let’s sharpen our focus on green products by looking past the green-ness of the final product and look into the life cycle of the product, including its embodied energy.  Bamboo may be a renewable resource, but much of it has to be transported from Asia, giving it a very high embodied energy.  These questions are not meant to paralyze you during your decision process, but rather to get the life-cycle conversation started with product manufacturers.  If consumers pick those products with lower embodied energy, manufacturers will move in that direction as well.

• Choose products that are manufactured and food that is grown nearby.
• When choosing between comparable products, ask which company has the most environmentally friendly manufacturing process.  If the company has won awards for green practices, they will be sure to advertise that.
• Consider the afterlife of the products you buy.  Are they biodegradable, recyclable, or reusable?  Or will they outlast humanity while filling up a landfill?

For more articles on sustainability, see:

Finding Balance Between Consumerism and Conservationism

The Costs of Not Building Green

Pictures:  stock.xchng

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